Westfield XI forums/info

[rgs_laverda]

Is there a place for XI info or an XI forum. I have searched the archives and there seems to be very little here. Is this just because the kit is so new? Are there plans to add a section for XI builders? I ordered my kit last week and believe I am one of if not the first in the US to begin a build. I have a few questions about the parts I need to save from my donor car, but don't know where to post.

[peterg]

Welcome and good luck!

Post your questions here, there aren't (and probably won't ever be) enough XIs to warrant creating a whole new separate forum for builders of that model on its own    and besides, we're all nosey so want to know more about this fascinating little car anyway      

[robthehungrymonkey]

I was wondering that the other day (not for any reason, just wondering! - probably cos they're cool), maybe there should be a forum in the boardroom here dedicated to XI's?

[rgs_laverda]

Are there any builders here who could help me out? I have a rusty '67 Midget I am beginning to strip down and don't want to bin the wrong parts. The US agent will hopefully be getting his kit this week, it will be a while before he can help. The build manual is quite comprehensive as is the parts required list, but I still wonder about a few things. Such as the headlight shells/bowls and adjusters, parking brake mounts and a few other things.

On a side note, what does nearside and offside mean? I need to order a turnsignal for my wife's car from a shop in GB since I want the clear type lens. I need the rightside assembly, but the website only refers to OS and NS

[peterg]

If you're ordering parts from a company in the UK, nearside always means the lefthand side as seen from inside the car and offside (or driver's side) is the opposite - that's 'cos we drive on the correct side of the road      

There's been a couple of XIs completed recently (usernames = bhouse and felters) so they should be able to help, try sending them a PM in case they haven't looked at the forum recently, it'll send them an email to let them know they have a message  

oh, and don't forget you can always ring the factory, they are very helpful  

[JohnCh]

There is a Westfield XI Yahoo Group.

-John

[MK11]

Good to see another builder turning up.

I am 90% of the way there, the majority of the time has been spent refurbishing the Midget parts, so I suggest that you make friends with whoever you will be getting the MG spares from as, if you are anything like me, you will be seeing a lot of them.

As to your questions, new headlamps and pods were supplied in my kit, not sure if the US kit will be the same.  The handbrake bracket will also be needed.

If the build manual is useful I think they must have upgraded it since they printed mine!  Have you dismantled the front uprights off yet, they were probably the most difficult things for me to do, that and undoing the crank pulley bolt.

Have fun, enjoy the build.

Matthew

[scruffythefirst]

I gave B House (Brian) and hand building his, its fairly straight forward really as there aren't really that many parts on the car  Best thing is to post up when your stuck and we'll all chip in.

[felters]

Hello there...

Keep as much as you can. It's amazing how the little bits add up, but the list in the manual is pretty accurate.

And start refurbishing now before the kit arrives. Especially things like the front uprights etc. You'll probably end up spending more time doing that than bolting it all together.

Good luck though. Let us know how it goes...

Cheers

Mike

[bhouse]

The UK supplied kit is fairly comprehensive and the info from Westfield contains a comprehensive list of what you need to save from the Midget.

When it came to safety critical items like brakes and steering you may wish to consider buying new or refurbished parts.

It's worth getting the propshaft out of the donor as soon as possible as it has to be shortened. The rear axle also has to have the Midget mounting points cut off and new ones fabricated. In the UK the factory do that for you (as long as you supply the axle casing to them). They also modify the bottom joint of of the steering column. Presumably Manik will tell you the procedure for the US.

Enjoy the build and ask away!

[rgs_laverda]

Thanks for all the engouragement. I got a call from the US agent and he was able to answer my questions about what to save. I spent this morning working on the front spindles and what a job that was. The previous owner luckily kept the splines well greased so getting the wheels off was easy (I had been worried that they were rusted on). But I struggled with removing the spindle/kingpin assembly. Finally as a last resort I went inside and looked in the Haynes manual. (when all else fails: read the instructions!!) Once I removed the pin and then the grease nipple the bolt just unscrewed. It will go a lot faster on the other side tomorrow.

  The US manual has good drawings showing how to modify the propshaft, steering and axle. I plan on having the components cleaned up and refurbished during the 10 weeks I have to wait for the kit to be built and shipped to California. I was told that Westfield now have a wireing loom for the engine and instruments so I will not have to make my own. Over here the Datsun GB is a lot easier to find than the Ford so I will be using that.

 

Has anyone heard about breaking the rear axles on the Sprite/Midget? Supposedly that is a weak link, the problem is that the US made uprated replacement is only available for the bolt-on wheels and I was hoping to use the knock-off wire wheels. Is this a problem and does anyone in the UK make better axles to fit the wire wheel axle housing? I will be using a 1380cc engine on SU's for the driveability and midrange power and expect about 90HP at the rear wheels.

  Sorry to go on so long, but the Yahoo list does not have any other builders,yet.....

[bhouse]

The drive shafts were a known weakness on Midgets - even with 65BHP. There are various techniques that improve the strength - or at least, work around the weaknesses!

There's a company called Frontline Spridget over here who sell uprated shafts (and many other performance upgrades.)

I've got mine on standard drive shafts for now but have a couple of spares standing by. When the first one goes I'll order some higher spec replacements.

By the way, a friend who owned a highly tunes Midget in the early 70s reckoned that after a fair bit of practice he could change a drive shaft by thye roadside in less than 15 mins...

[MK11]

Well done for removing the kingpin.  On my midget it took 3 people and a fully equiped machine shop to strip the upright, even then we ended up snapping one of the brake caliper bolts.

As for the rear axle I would check the driveshaft length before you do anything else.  The steel wheel axle casing is 1" wider than the wire wheel axle casing.  This means that while the drive shaft will engage in the diff, it only does so on the last 1/2" of the splined section and is a great way to snap the shafts leaving the last 1/2" of the splined section stuck in the diff.  I fell foul of this with my midget, I bought a wire wheel car but it was only when I was reassembling the axle that I thought the splined shafts didn't seem to engage very far, out came the tape measure followed shortly by the axle casing  

As for the shafts snapping I understand that they "snap like carrots".  An unusual way to counter this is to machine the length of the driveshaft down.  Bear with me there is a reason for this apparent madness

The problem is that the narrowest section of the drive shaft is at the splines, this means when the torque loads the driveshaft the point of least resistance is very small.  Narrowing the shaft body to the same diameter as the inside splines spreads the torque load over a larger area allowing the shaft to twist along its length.  That is the theory anyway, I'll let you know how it works in the field.

[felters]

On the other hand our cars weigh about 2/300kg less than a Midget - and with the traction free Avon Enviro tyres on I'm not really expecting to break that many shafts

More power and Yoko A048's then it may be an issue. Anybody know if a MX5/Miata engine and gearbox would fit

Edit to add that I have a steel wheel axle so the uprated shafts would work for me...  

[rgs_laverda]

But you are talking about 13" tires. Since there are a lot more smaller cars over in the UK than here in the US the tire dealers don't carry many decent 13" tires. I will be using 15" mga size rims with Dunlop vintage racing tires. Technically illegal, but never really checked by the CHP (Calif. Highway Patrol), at least not once I get my equivilent of the SVA. These are skinny bias ply!! tires that have a predictable drift. If I wanted the ultimate in power and grip I would build a different car....I remember having an MGA back in the mid '60's that I could drift at will and sreer with the throttle. That's what I am looking for, just with a sexy sleek Lotus Body.